Accumulation, Timing, and Duration of Early Childhood Adversity and Behavior Problems at Age 9

Caregivers on point: a randomized treatment-control prevention trial for foster and kinship caregivers to reduce behavior challenges among children in foster care

BACKGROUND

Children in foster care who are newly placed with licensed or kinship caregivers are often vulnerable to increased behavior problems associated with trauma and social disruptions. When those issues are not addressed, children are susceptible to placement disruptions that exacerbate behavior problems. Few preventive interventions are available for foster and kinship caregivers, and none are designed to be delivered at the time of a child's placement into the home. This study aims to examine the impact of the Chicago Parent Program adapted and customized for foster and kinship caregivers (CPP-FC), locally branded as Caregivers on Point, on caregiver stress, parenting confidence and strategies, children's behaviors, and placement stability.

METHODS

Caregivers (N = 300) are being recruited from a specialized foster care clinic that sees children and caregivers within five business days of a new placement. Upon completing baseline surveys and behavioral observation, caregiver-child dyads are randomized to receive CPP-FC (n = 150) or usual care (n = 150). Those in the treatment condition will complete 11 weekly sessions addressing child behavior management and caregiving approaches. A booster session will occur one month after the weekly sessions conclude. A mid-point assessment and behavioral observation will be collected four months after the baseline assessment for all participants, coinciding with the completion of the CPP-FC programming. At 6 months post-baseline, an end-of-study assessment will be collected. Administrative data will be extracted from the child welfare record to determine placement stability for the 12 months following enrolment. The primary outcome of interest is child behavior, indicated by changes in caregiver reports and objective ratings of behavior from observations, where raters are blinded to the treatment arm and timing of data collection. Secondary outcomes include placement stability and changes in caregiver stress and confidence in managing children's behavior.

DISCUSSION

If found to be effective, CPP-FC would be helpful for families involved with child welfare. It could be delivered by child welfare agencies, licensing and kinship navigator agencies, and foster care clinics and may be eligible for government reimbursement as a preventive intervention for children in foster care.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

This study was prospectively registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT06170047 .

Carjacking and homicide in Minneapolis after the police killing of George Floyd: Evidence from an interrupted time series analysis

There is abundant research showing the disproportionate impacts of violence on health in disadvantaged neighborhoods, making an understanding of recent violent crime trends essential for promoting health equity. Carjackings have been of particular interest in the media, although little research has been undertaken on this violent crime. We use interrupted time series models to examine the impact of the police killing of George Floyd on the spatiotemporal patterns of carjacking in Minneapolis in relation to neighborhood disadvantage. To provide grounding, we compare our results to the well-studied patterns of homicides. Results indicate that carjackings both increased and dispersed spatially after the murder of George Floyd and subsequent social unrest, more so than homicides. Socially disadvantaged neighborhoods experienced the greatest absolute increase while more advantaged neighborhoods saw a greater relative increase. The challenge ahead is to identify policy responses that will effectively curb such violence without resorting to harsh and inequitable policing and sentencing practices.

Validation of the Chinese version of the adverse life experiences scale

Background

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are strongly linked to many mental health problems, and play important role in the intergenerational transmission of psychopathology. Additionally, the developmental timing may also be critical in ACEs' impact on these problems. The Adverse Life Experiences Scale (ALES), as a recently developed measure, has demonstrated good reliability and validity in indexing cumulative risk, developmental timing, and intergenerational transmission. This scale has not been used in China. The purpose of present study was to revise the Chinese version of the ALES and examine its psychometric properties.

Methods

A total of 527 parents (fathers n = 246, mothers n = 281) from families with at least one child (12-18 years) completed this online survey. Internal consistency, test-retest reliability, correlations, regression models were examined for assessing the psychometric properties of the Chinese version of the ALES.

Results

The Chinese version of the ALES showed acceptable internal consistency (children: α = .72, parents: α = .74) and test-retest reliability (children: r = .86, parents: r = .84). In terms of validity, both parents and children's ACEs scores (total score and most age intervals scores) were significantly correlated with their current symptoms; ACEs scores of some age intervals in early childhood and adolescence significantly predicted symptoms in regression models; and parents' ACEs total score significantly correlated with children's ACEs total score and symptoms (all, girls, boys) except boys' Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire total score.

Conclusion

The Chinese version of the ALES showed good psychometric properties for assessing ACEs cumulative risk, developmental timing, and intergenerational transmission, and can serve as a reliable tool to evaluate ACEs in Chinese samples.

The Association Between Early Family Social Stressors and Emotional Well-Being Among Infants and Toddlers

OBJECTIVE

Early childhood behavioral and emotional disorders are linked to diagnosable mental health problems both later in childhood and into adulthood. However, little work has examined the association between family social stressors and emotional well-being among children under two years of age, including whether differences exist between infancy and toddlerhood.

METHODS

Data come from the nationally representative 2019-2022 National Health Interview Survey, an annual, cross-sectional survey conducted by the National Center for Health Statistics. Separate multivariate logistic regression models estimated associations between family social stressors (stressful life events, family food insecurity, family difficulty paying medical bills) and having a Baby Pediatric Symptom Checklist (BPSC) subscale score of 3 or more ("above the BPSC cutoff") for poorer emotional well-being among children 2-23 months. Models were additionally stratified by age group (infants, 2-11 months; toddlers, 12-23 months), and adjusted for child and family sociodemographic and geographical characteristics.

RESULTS

Children who had experienced a stressful life event (AOR=3.83, 95% CI: 2.48-5.92), family food insecurity (AOR=1.69, 95% CI: 1.13-2.51), or family difficulty paying medical bills (AOR=2.10, 95% CI: 1.54-2.87) had higher odds of being above the BPSC cutoff, adjusted for all relevant covariates. Toddlers who experienced a stressful life event (66.5% vs 41.0%) or family difficulty paying medical bills (53.1% vs 29.8%) had higher odds of being above the BPSC cutoff compared with infants.

CONCLUSIONS

Family social stressors were linked to poorer emotional well-being among young children. Future research may benefit from the exploration of additional predictors of emotional well-being among this age group.

Early life adversity and adolescent sleep problems during the COVID-19 pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in a reorganization of adolescents' routines, especially their sleep schedules. Utilising 175 caregiver-adolescent dyads, the current study examined associations of biological (e.g., prenatal substance use), environmental (e.g., poverty), and relational (e.g., child maltreatment) subtypes of early life adversity (ELA) with various components of adolescents' sleep across the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. Relational ELA explained unique variance in adolescents' sleep disturbances, but not other sleep components, following short- and longer-term exposure to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the direction of this association switched such that relational ELA predicted decreased sleep disturbances during the initial phase of the U.S. COVID-19 pandemic in spring 2020 beyond pre-pandemic levels, but, over time, contributed to increased sleep disturbances beyond early-pandemic levels as the pandemic extended into the winter of 2020.

Single mothers' perceptions of neighborhood social cohesion, parenting stress, adverse childhood experiences in early childhood and Black children's behavior problems in middle childhood and adolescence

This study examined the roles of neighborhood social cohesion, adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), and parenting stress in early childhood on child behavioral outcomes in middle childhood and adolescence among socioeconomically disadvantaged Black families. To test a model linking perceptions of neighborhood social cohesion, single mothers' parenting stress, ACEs, and behavior problems in middle childhood and adolescence. We used four waves of longitudinal data from a subsample of 800 unmarried Black mothers and their children (at child birth and ages 3, 5, 9, and 15) from the Future of Families and Child Wellbeing Study, a nationally representative data set. Structural equation modeling with latent variables was used to measure direct and indirect effects. Mothers' perceptions of neighborhood social cohesion were significantly and negatively associated parenting stress (β = -0.34, p < 0.05); parenting stress was significantly and positively related to adverse childhood experiences (β = 0.40, p < 0.05) and behavior problems (β = 0.32, p < 0.05); Adverse childhood experiences were significantly and positively related to behavior problems (β = 0.26, p < 0.05); and behavior problems were indirectly influenced by neighborhood social cohesion through adverse childhood experiences (β = -0.14, p < 0.05) and parenting stress (β = 0.10, p < 0.05). Neighborhood factors may play a significant role in parenting stress, adverse childhood experiences in early childhood, and children's behavior problems in middle childhood and adolescence among some single mothers and children in economically and socially disadvantaged Black families. Interventions that enhance neighborhood social cohesion and foster supportive interactions among community members and organizations are recommended.

Longitudinal patterns of adversity from childhood to adolescence: Examining associations with mental health through emerging adulthood using a random-intercept latent transition analysis

Childhood adversity can have detrimental impacts on life course mental and physical health. Timing, nature, severity, and chronicity of adversity are thought to explain much of the variability in health and developmental outcomes among exposed individuals. The current study seeks to characterize heterogeneity in adverse experiences over time at the individual, family, and neighborhood domains in a cohort of predominantly Black children (85% Black and 15% White, 46.2% girls, 67.2% free/reduced lunch in first grade), and to examine associations with mental health from sixth grade to age 26. Participants were part of a randomized universal preventive interventions trial in first grade with prospective follow-up through early adulthood. Separate models characterized heterogeneity in adversity in elementary, middle, and high schools. Changes in adversity over time and relationships with mental health (anxiety, depression, suicidal behaviors) were investigated using a random-intercept latent transition analysis (RI-LTA). We identified three-class solutions in early childhood, middle school, and high school. Generally, both a higher and a lower poly-adversity class were observed at each time point, with varying nature of adversity characterized by the third class. RI-LTA indicated prevalent within-individual changes in adverse exposure over time and differential associations with mental health and suicidal behaviors. Results suggest that treating adverse exposures as a static construct may limit the ability to characterize salient variation over time. Identifying complexity in adverse experiences and their relation to health and well-being is key for developing and implementing effective prevention and early intervention efforts to mitigate negative effects through the life course. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Early life adversity is associated with greater similarity in neural representations of ambiguous and threatening stimuli

Exposure to early life adversity (ELA) is hypothesized to sensitize threat-responsive neural circuitry. This may lead individuals to overestimate threat in the face of ambiguity, a cognitive-behavioral phenotype linked to poor mental health. The tendency to process ambiguity as threatening may stem from difficulty distinguishing between ambiguous and threatening stimuli. However, it is unknown how exposure to ELA relates to neural representations of ambiguous and threatening stimuli, or how processing of ambiguity following ELA relates to psychosocial functioning. The current fMRI study examined multivariate representations of threatening and ambiguous social cues in 41 emerging adults (aged 18 to 19 years). Using representational similarity analysis, we assessed neural representations of ambiguous and threatening images within affective neural circuitry and tested whether similarity in these representations varied by ELA exposure. Greater exposure to ELA was associated with greater similarity in neural representations of ambiguous and threatening images. Moreover, individual differences in processing ambiguity related to global functioning, an association that varied as a function of ELA. By evidencing reduced neural differentiation between ambiguous and threatening cues in ELA-exposed emerging adults and linking behavioral responses to ambiguity to psychosocial wellbeing, these findings have important implications for future intervention work in at-risk, ELA-exposed populations.

Association between adverse childhood experiences and sleep quality, emotional and behavioral problems and academic achievement of children and adolescents

The impact of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) on adult health has been extensively examined, but the association between ACEs and sleep, emotion, behavior and academic outcomes of children and adolescents is not well known. A total of 6363 primary and middle school students were included to examine the effect of ACEs on sleep quality, emotional and behavioral problems and academic achievement and further explore the mediation role of sleep quality and emotional and behavioral problems. Children and adolescents with ACE exposure had 1.37 times risk of poor sleep quality (adjusted odds ratio [OR] = 1.37, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.21-1.55), 1.91 times risk of emotional and behavioral problems (adjusted OR = 1.91, 95%CI: 1.69-2.15) and 1.21 times risk of self-reported lower academic achievement (adjusted OR = 1.21, 95%CI: 1.08-1.36). Most types of ACEs were significantly associated with poor sleep quality, emotional and behavioral problems and lower academic achievement. There were dose-response relationships between cumulative ACE exposure and risk of poor sleep quality, emotional and behavioral problems, and lower academic achievement. Sleep quality and emotional and behavioral performance mediated 45.9% of the effect of ACEs exposure on math scores and 15.2% of the effect of ACEs exposure on English scores. Early detection and prevention of ACEs among children and adolescents are urgent and essential, and targeted interventions for sleep and emotional and behavioral performance as well as early educational interventions are recommended for children with ACEs exposure.

Greater Discrimination Frequency and Lower Distress Tolerance Are Associated with Mental Health Problems Among Racially Privileged and Minoritized Adults Accessing an Urban Day Shelter

INTRODUCTION

Discrimination experiences may be a contributing factor to the elevated prevalence of mental health problems among adults experiencing homelessness.

METHODS

Using survey data (N = 552) collected from adults seeking services at an urban day shelter, the relationships between everyday and major discrimination experiences, distress tolerance, and mental health problems (depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, poor mental health days) were characterized. Distress tolerance was examined as a moderator of the relationship between discrimination and mental health problems.

RESULTS

Participants were predominantly from racially minoritized groups (59.6%), non-Hispanic (88.7%), and male (70.9%), with an average age of 45.7 years old (SD = 11.7). Descriptive analyses indicated that the main reason for discrimination differed between racially privileged (i.e., White participants) and racially minoritized participants (i.e., participants who identified as Black, American Indian/Alaska Native, Asian, Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander, or multi-race), such that homelessness was most commonly endorsed among racially privileged participants while racial discrimination was most commonly reported among racially minoritized participants. Multivariate logistic regression analyses revealed associations between everyday discrimination, major discrimination, and distress tolerance with mental health problems. Distress tolerance did not moderate the relations between discrimination and mental health problems in most analyses. Notably, major discrimination was no longer associated with all mental health variables when both everyday and major discrimination were included in all models.

CONCLUSION

Findings suggest that reducing everyday discrimination and addressing the adverse impact of everyday discrimination experiences may have a beneficial impact on mental health.

Early adverse childhood experiences and adolescent sleep outcomes

BACKGROUND

Sleep is critical for physical, mental, and emotional health. This may be particularly true for adolescents experiencing rapid physiological changes. Relatively little is known about how adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are implicated in adolescent experiences with sleep.

OBJECTIVE

We use data (from the Future of Families and Child Wellbeing Study (FFCWS, n = 3444) to assess the relationship between early ACE exposure (by age 5) and various adolescent sleep outcomes. We anticipate that early ACEs will be associated with poor adolescent sleep outcomes.

METHODS

FFCWS data includes survey responses from parents and/or primary caregivers and children at birth and approximately one, three, five, nine, and 15 years later. The FFCWS oversampled unmarried parents with low educational attainment, income, and from marginalized racial-ethnic groups. Models of sleep outcomes included ordinary least squares, Poisson, negative binomial, logistic, and order logistic regression, as appropriate.

RESULTS

Despite a high number of ACEs, adolescent hours of sleep were consistent with published recommendations. Other measures of sleep indicated adolescents in the sample experience worse sleep on most other measures. ACE exposure was associated with difficulty falling asleep and staying asleep. More ACEs was also related with problematic sleep environments (i.e., place slept) and increased snoring. There was some evidence that ACEs were related to less sleep on weekends and increased social jet lag (different patterns of sleep between weekdays and weekends).

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings suggest that ACEs could be important diagnostic data for clinicians in primary care and behavioral sleep medicine practice.

The Effect of Adverse Childhood Experiences on ADHD Symptom Reporting, Psychological Symptoms, and Cognitive Performance Among Adult Neuropsychological Referrals

OBJECTIVE

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are early life experiences that influence mental health outcomes, though there are mixed findings reported in relation to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms. The current study compared adults who experienced ACEs on measures of ADHD symptom reporting, psychological symptoms, and neurocognitive test performance.

METHOD

The sample (n = 115) had mean age of 28.42 (SD = 6.46); educational attainment of 16.47 years (SD = 1.99); and was 35% male/65% female and racially/ethnically diverse. Participants completed measures of ACEs, ADHD symptoms, psychopathology, and perceived stress, as well as neuropsychological tests.

RESULTS

The high ACEs group endorsed higher levels of childhood/adulthood inattentive, impulsive, and hyperactive symptoms, and overall childhood symptoms when compared to the low ACEs group.

CONCLUSIONS

This study provides a more comprehensive understanding of the association between ACEs and cognitive/mental health outcomes. Greater ACEs resulted in higher ADHD symptom reporting but not significantly greater psychological symptoms or worse neurocognitive performance.

Potentially Traumatic Events, Socioemotional and Adaptive Functioning: Associations with Self-Regulatory Skills in a Community Sample of Primarily Black and Latinx 3-5-year-olds

Early childhood is a heightened risk period for exposure to potentially traumatic events (PTEs) and a critical period for the development of foundational self-regulatory competencies that have potential cascading effects on future socioemotional functioning. This cross-sectional study examined associations between PTE exposure and socioemotional and adaptive functioning, and self-regulatory skills, in a community-based sample of 280 primarily Black and Latinx 3-5-year-olds. Results supported direct relations between PTE exposure and socioemotional and adaptive functioning. Attentional regulation was associated with PTEs and internalizing behaviors, externalizing behaviors, and adaptive behaviors. There was also a significant association of emotional regulation on the relationship between PTEs and internalizing and externalizing behaviors, but not adaptive functioning. Findings have implications for early intervention and educational and public policy, including the importance of scaffolding the development of self-regulatory skills among preschoolers with high PTE exposure.

Timing and type of adverse life events: Impact on substance use among high-risk adolescents

A robust association has been reported between childhood adverse life events (ALEs) and risky substance use in adolescence. It remains unclear, however, what the impact of type and timing of these ALEs is. We investigated the association between ALEs and substance use in adolescents. ALEs were operationalized as broad (e.g., moving, parental divorce, family sickness) or physically threatening (physical and/or sexual abuse). First, we examined lifetime ALEs, followed by an investigation into their timing. The sample consisted of 909 adolescents (aged 12-18 years) from a cohort oversampled on high levels of emotional and behavioral problems. The primary caregiver indicated which ALEs each adolescent experienced across their lifetime. Adolescents self-reported on number and frequency of substances used. Poisson and ordinal regression models were used to model the associations. The associations between lifetime ALEs and a substance used were observed only for physical ALEs (incidence rate ratio 1.18 [1.03, 1.35], p = 0.02). When investigating timing, physical ALEs after the age of 12 predicted number of substances used (IRR 1.36 [1.13, 1.63], p < .001). Recent ALEs (occurring after age 12) seem to have considerable impact on substance use. Alcohol and drugs as a coping mechanism were considered a plausible explanation for the results.

Childhood trauma and internalizing and externalizing behavior problems among adolescents: Role of executive function and life events stress

INTRODUCTION

Exposure to childhood trauma is found to increase internalizing and externalizing behavior problems in adolescents, however, the potential mechanism of this link remains underexplored. This study investigated the associations between childhood trauma and internalizing and externalizing behavior problems among adolescents, and tested the mediating role of executive function and the moderating role of life events stress in this relationship.

METHODS

Questionnaire data were collected from 952 junior students in Northwest China. Participants ranged in age from 11 to 15 years old (M = 12.88 years, SD = 0.72; 53% females). SPSS 26.0 was used to analyze the relationship between variables and examine the mediation model and the moderated mediation model.

RESULTS

Childhood trauma was positively associated with internalizing and externalizing behavior problems among adolescents. In addition, executive function partially mediated the relations between childhood trauma and internalizing and externalizing behavior problems. Life events stress was observed to moderate the relations between childhood trauma and executive function, as well as executive function and internalizing and externalizing behavior problems, but the effect sizes were relatively small.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings underscore the role of executive function and life events stress in the association between childhood trauma and behavioral problems among adolescents.

Maternal adverse childhood experiences and behavioral problems in Chinese preschool children: The moderated mediating role of emotional dysregulation and self-compassion

BACKGROUND

The negative effects of maternal adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) may have a direct intergenerational effect on a child's behavior. This topic has been widely examined, but few studies have explored the underlying mechanism and protective factors influencing maternal ACEs and offspring's behavioral problems in the Chinese context.

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to investigate the mediating effect of emotional dysregulation on the relationship between maternal ACEs and offspring behavior and examine whether self-compassion can moderate this association.

PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING

The participants were 2282 preschoolers (52 % male) with a mean age of M = 62.63 months (SD = 9.28) and their mothers. They were from northern, central, and southern Anhui Province China, and data were collected in relation to the family's socioeconomic status by population density of children in the region.

METHODS

Data were collected from the mothers with respect to maternal ACEs, emotional dysregulation, and self-compassion. Mothers provided information regarding children's behavior and demographic characteristics. A moderated mediation model was analyzed through SPSS.

RESULTS

First, the presence of maternal ACEs was positively associated with offspring behavioral problems. Second, maternal emotional dysregulation mediated the relationship between ACEs and offspring behavioral problems. Third, mothers' self-compassion moderated the indirect relationship between ACEs and offspring behavioral problems via emotional dysregulation.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings highlight the critical role of emotional dysregulation and self-compassion in the relationship between maternal ACEs and offspring behavioral problems. Interventions should target maternal emotional dysregulation and self-compassion to minimize the risk of intergeneration transmission of negative effects.

Early Adverse Childhood Experiences and Positive Functioning during Adolescence

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) have been shown to have consequences for adolescent development, yet little is known about the association between ACEs and positive functioning. Positive functioning evaluates engagement, perseverance, optimism, connectedness, and happiness, which are intimately related to pro-social behavior. As skills associated with sociability in adolescence often carry on into adulthood, understanding the developmental origins in inequalities in pro-social behavior, as measured by positive functioning, is key to ensuring equitable life chances across the life course. Subsequently, the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study (FFCWS; n = 3444) was used to examine how early exposure to cumulative ACEs, plus the timing and duration of those ACEs may be associated with positive functioning development in adolescence. The sample consisted of urban-born youth (49% female) with the mean age of 15. Racial/ethnic breakdown of the sample is 18% non-Hispanic White, 49% non-Hispanic Black, 25% Hispanic, and 8% "Other". Overall, estimates suggest that roughly 88% of these youth experienced at least one ACE by age five. The findings indicate that cumulation, timing, and duration of early ACEs are related to overall adolescent positive functioning and four out of the five domains (perseverance, optimism, connectedness, and happiness), even after controlling for more recent ACEs. This study highlights the critical impact of very early ACEs on youth positive functioning, which may confer further physical, mental, and social disadvantages into adulthood. Positive functioning can serve as a protective factor against some of the negative consequences of adversity, and ensuring that all families receive proper supports may limit the lifelong effects of adversity, and most importantly, prevent ACEs from occurring in the first place.

Associations between early childhood adversity and behavioral, substance use, and academic outcomes in childhood through adolescence in a U.S. longitudinal cohort

BACKGROUND

Childhood adversity is strongly associated with adolescent substance use, but few epidemiologic studies have investigated early childhood adversity (ECA) before age 5. This study investigated pathways by which ECA is associated with adolescent alcohol and cannabis use and high school completion through childhood behavioral and academic mediators and their reciprocal effects.

METHODS

Data were from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979-Child/Young Adult Cohort which surveyed children born 1984-1999 and followed through 2016 (n = 5521). Outcomes included alcohol and cannabis use frequency at ages 15-18, and high school completion by age 19. ECA at ages 0-4 was a cumulative score of maternal heavy drinking/drug use, low emotional support, low cognitive stimulation, and household poverty. Multilevel path models were conducted with ECA, childhood mediators (behavioral (externalizing and internalizing problems) and academics (reading and math scores), accounting for demographics and confounders.

RESULTS

ECA was indirectly associated with adolescent cannabis frequency through mediators of externalizing/internalizing problems, low academics, and early cannabis onset before age 14. ECA was also indirectly associated with alcohol frequency via the same mediators, but not early alcohol onset. Greater behavioral problems elevated substance use risk; whereas, low academics reduced risk. Reciprocal effects were evident between childhood behavioral problems and cannabis frequency to high school completion.

CONCLUSION

Adversity from birth to age 4 is associated with childhood behavioral problems and lower academics, which increased adolescent alcohol and cannabis use and lowered high school completion. Early childhood interventions with parents and preschools/daycare may reduce early onset and adolescent substance use.

Cumulative family stress and externalizing problems: Secure base script knowledge as a protective factor

The current study examined whether secure base script knowledge can buffer against higher concurrent externalizing problems and against relative increases in externalizing problems associated with cumulative family stress. We conducted a one-year longitudinal study with two waves between 2017 and 2019 in which 272 Dutch-speaking Western European children from Flanders (47.8% boys, M age = 10.20 , SD age = 0.60 $$ {M}_{\mathrm{age}}=10.20,{SD}_{\mathrm{age}}=0.60 $$ ) participated. Secure base script knowledge was associated with lower concurrent externalizing problems (f²  = 0.03). High levels of secure base script knowledge also buffered against relative increases in externalizing problems associated with cumulative family risk (f²  = 0.02). These findings suggest that secure base script knowledge can mitigate the negative effects of a stressful family environment on externalizing problems.

Adverse Childhood Experiences and Adolescent Delinquency: A Theoretically Informed Investigation of Mediators during Middle Childhood

OBJECTIVE

The purposes of this study are twofold. First, we explore the associations between cumulative ACEs at ages 5 and 7 and delinquency at age 14 in a national sample of youth in the United Kingdom (UK). Second, we explore the role of five theoretically relevant mediators in explaining this relationship.

METHODS

Analyses were based on data from the UK Millennium Cohort Study-a prospective, longitudinal birth-cohort study of more than 18,000 individuals in the United Kingdom.

RESULTS

The results indicate that early ACEs are significantly associated with adolescent delinquency, with effects becoming significantly larger as ACEs accumulate. Findings also reveal that child property delinquency, substance use, low self-control, unstructured socializing, and parent-child attachment at age 11 all significantly mediate the relationship between early ACEs and delinquency in adolescence, with early delinquency and low self-control emerging as the most robust mediators.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings point to a need for early ACEs screening and a Trauma-Informed Health Care (TIC) approach in early delinquency prevention efforts. Early intervention efforts that bolster child self-control and curtail early-onset problem behaviors may also disrupt pathways from ACEs to adolescent delinquency.

Adverse Childhood Experiences, Resilience, and Emotional Problems in Young Chinese Children

Resilience plays an important role in the relationship between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and children's health. Young children are often neglected in ACEs research and suffer from the negative consequences of ACEs. However, few studies have focused on the relationship between ACEs and emotional problems in young Chinese children and the moderating and mediating effect of resilience on this relationship. This study included young children at the beginning of their kindergarten year (n = 874, 42.80 ± 4.09 months) from Wuhu City, China, to examine the mediation and moderation effects of resilience on early-life ACEs and emotional problems. Our results show a positive direct effect of ACEs on emotional problems. Furthermore, a positive indirect effect of ACEs and emotional problems on resilience was found. A moderating effect of resilience was not observed in this study. Our findings (a) highlight the significance of paying more attention to early ACEs and revealing a better understanding of the effect of resilience on ACEs at an early age and (b) indicate that age-specific interventions should be provided to enhance young children's resilience when exposed to adversity.

Developmental inflection point for the effect of maternal childhood adversity on children's mental health from childhood to adolescence: Time-varying effect of gender differences

Childhood adversities have a well-established dose-response relationship with later mental health. However, less attention has been given to intergenerational influences. Further, it is unknown how intergenerational influences intersect with children's developmental stages and gender. The current study examined whether a developmental inflection point exists when the intergenerational influences of childhood adversities gain salience and explored differences by children's gender. Data were from the Young Women and Child Development Study (n = 361). Time-varying effect models (TVEMs) and moderation TVEMs by child's gender were evaluated. Our findings reveal that ages 5-8, the period of transition into primary schools, may represent a developmental inflection point when the intergenerational influences of maternal childhood adversity start emerging substantially. The results from gender interaction TVEMs reveal that maternal childhood adversity was a statistically significant predictor of internalizing problems until age 11, regardless of child's gender, and remained statistically significant for girls' internalizing problems until age 16.7. For externalizing problems, maternal childhood adversity was a statistically significant predictor until age 13, regardless of gender.

Sex Differences in the Relationship Between Early Adverse Childhood Experiences, Delinquency, and Substance Use Initiation in High-Risk Adolescents

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) have been linked to a host of subsequent negative health and behavioral problems. However, the role of sex in the ramifications of early ACEs remains unclear, particularly for delinquency and substance use initiation in adolescence. A small body of research has produced mixed findings on sex differences in the relationship between ACEs and antisocial outcomes in adolescence, resulting in uncertainty about whether and how ACEs may operate differently for boys and girls. The current study drew on a high-risk group of adolescents (N=2455; M_age=15.4; 48% female; 50% Black, 23% Hispanic) from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study to examine the associations between accumulated ACEs across early childhood, and delinquency and substance use initiation of alcohol, cigarette, and cannabis in adolescence. We utilized mother and father reports on the exposure to seven different types of ACEs (i.e., physical abuse, psychological abuse, neglect, parental substance misuse, parental mental illness, parental intimate partner violence, and parental criminal behavior) when adolescents were ages 1, 3, and 5. Total ACEs scores and their relationships with delinquency, and lifetime use of alcohol, cigarettes, and cannabis were assessed separately for girls and boys. Results suggested that accumulated ACEs during early childhood may be implicated in boys' delinquency, while ACEs were not significantly associated with girls' self-reported delinquency or for boys' and girls' substance use initiation. Findings suggest that the enduring consequences of ACEs may be sex-specific, and have implications for the development of policies to mitigate ACEs and their harms.

The relationship between childhood adversity and problem behavior of new street corner youth on campus: A moderate mediation model

To explore the impact mechanism of childhood adversity on problem behaviors of new street corner youth on campus, we surveyed 637 new street corner youth on campus and completed the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, the Childhood Environment Scale, the Life History Strategies Scale, and the Dark Triad Scale. After controlling for gender and age of new street corner youth on campus, results revealed that childhood adversity was significantly and positively associated with problem behaviors. Mediation analysis showed that life history strategy mediated the association between childhood adversity and problem behaviors. Moreover, moderated mediation analysis further indicated that dark triad moderated the association between childhood adversity and life history strategy, as well as the association between life history strategy and problem behaviors. These findings suggest that interventions of life history strategy and dark triad may be effective means to affect problem behaviors of new street corner youth on campus.

Youth Mental Well-Being Following Witnessed Police Stops

The purpose of the present study is to investigate mental well-being among youth after witnessing police stops. A national, urban-born sample of youth in the USA from the most recent wave (2014-2017) of the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study (FFCWS) was employed, with a focus on youth who had not been directly stopped by police (N = 2506). We used t-tests and multivariable ordinary least squares (OLS) regression to estimate direct associations, product-term analysis to test for effect modification by gender and race/ethnicity, and the Karlson-Holm-Breen (KHB) method to assess for mediation by experiences of emotional distress during a stop. Findings indicate that youth who have witnessed police stops report significantly higher levels of depression (t = 5.93, p < 0.01) and anxiety (t = 6.57, p < 0.01) and lower levels of happiness (t =  - 4.02, p < 0.01) following the stop than those who have not. Among youth witnessing stops (N = 1488), more intrusive witnessed encounters correspond to diminished mental well-being across indicators, in part due to elevated emotional distress during witnessed stops. Findings hold regardless of gender, yet vary somewhat by race and ethnicity, with youth of color reporting less anxiety than their White counterparts after witnessing an intrusive stop, but reporting greater reductions in happiness. Collectively, our findings suggest that witnessing police stops may contribute to inequities in youth mental well-being. A public health approach that combines prevention and treatment strategies may mitigate the harms of police exposure and reduce disparities in youth well-being.

Time Dimension of Childhood Adversities and Externalizing Behavior Among Children of Teen Mothers: Sensitive Period Hypothesis vs. Accumulation Hypothesis

Childhood adversities are associated with compromised behavioral health later in life. However, less attention has been paid to how time contributes to the damaging effects of adversity exposure. In addition, the differential impact of childhood maltreatment and household dysfunction has been understudied. The current study tested (a) the sensitive period hypothesis regarding timing of childhood adversity on externalizing behavior, (b) the accumulation hypothesis regarding the associations between the duration of childhood adversity and externalizing behavior, and (c) the domain-specific impact of childhood adversity on externalizing behavior. Data came from the Young Women and Child Development Study (N = 240). Childhood adversity was measured at seven periods (age range: 5.5-16), which were used to test the sensitive period hypothesis. Childhood adversity at each time period was summed across seven time periods to test the accumulation measure representing the duration of childhood adversity. Least angle and multiple regression analyses were conducted. Results supported the sensitive period hypothesis-the effect of childhood adversity was the most prominent at age 11.5, whereas the accumulation of childhood adversity time periods was not a significant predictor of later externalizing behavior. Probing childhood adversity by subdomains revealed maltreatment primarily accounted for externalizing behavior (p < .05). Findings suggest intervention efforts for children of teen mothers during early adolescence to prevent externalizing behavior in later adolescence. Unpacking childhood adversity may illuminate key areas of vulnerability to externalizing behavior.

Childhood Adversity Trajectories and Violent Behaviors in Adolescence and Early Adulthood

Violence and other antisocial behaviors, including fighting and weapon carrying, are highly prevalent among adolescents but usually decrease in young adulthood. Childhood adversities, including exposure to abuse, intimate partner violence, and household substance use and mental health problems, have been linked to violent behaviors in adolescence and adulthood. However, few studies of childhood adversity as determinants of persistent violent behavior among community-based samples have been conducted. Furthermore, the effects of adversity timing and duration on subsequent violent behaviors are unclear. We examined the association between five childhood adversity trajectories (representing stable-low, stable-mild, decreasing, increasing, and stable-high adversity from birth through age 11.5 years) and physical fighting and weapon carrying at ages 13-20 years among a sample of young adults followed continuously since birth from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (n = 9,665). The prevalence of violent behaviors declined sharply as participants aged (e.g., whereas 42.8% reported engaging in physical fighting in the past year at ages 13-15 years, this dropped to 10.4% at ages 17-20 years). Childhood adversity trajectories exhibited a strong dose-response relation with physical fighting and weapon carrying, with particularly pronounced relations for violent behaviors persisting across both adolescence and early adulthood (e.g., for physical fighting at both ages 13-15 years and 17-20 years compared to no fighting at either period, adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 1.62, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.31-2.00 for stable-mild; aOR = 2.33, 95% CI = 1.64-3.33 for decreasing; aOR = 3.18, 95% CI = 2.20-4.60 for increasing; and aOR = 3.73, 95% CI = 2.13-6.52 for stable-high adversity, compared to stable-low adversity). This work highlights the substantial implications of exposure to childhood adversity for youth violence prevention.

The association of adverse childhood experiences and its subtypes with adulthood sleep problems: A systematic review and meta-analysis of cohort studies

Adverse childhood experience (ACE) is a powerful risk factor for long-term sleep health. However, the degree to which ACE and its subtypes contribute to adulthood sleep problems remains unknown. For this systematic review and meta-analysis, PubMed, Embase, Web of Sciences, Cochrane library, and CNKI (Chinese) were searched from inception to 1 December 2021. Cohort studies that examined the association between ACEs (aged <18 y) and adulthood sleep outcomes (aged ≥18 y) were included. The most fully adjusted odds ratios (ORs) were extracted and pooled using the random-effects model. A total of nine articles involving 108 330 participants from five high-income countries were identified. Individuals with at least one ACE subtype were more likely to report adulthood sleep problems (OR = 1.14, 1.09-1.20, I² = 77.5%, n = 9 studies) compared with those without ACE. The pooled ORs were approximately 1.20 for sexual, physical, and emotional abuse with high heterogeneity (I² > 80%), 1.09 (95% CI: 0.99-1.19, I² = 0%, n = 2) for neglect, and 1.21 (95% CI: 1.14-1.30, I² = 73.6%, n = 3) for family dysfunction. Individuals with multiple ACEs were associated with a higher magnitude of the risk for sleep problems (OR = 1.33, 95% CI: 1.18-1.49, I² = 87.3%, n = 3). In conclusion, the magnitude of the risk for sleep problems was similar across ACE subtypes except for childhood neglect. ACE may have cumulative detrimental effects on sleep health. More longitudinal evidence regarding ACE-sleep relationships, particularly in low- and middle-income countries, is needed. Furthermore, more policy efforts and evidence-based preventions are warranted to address ACEs among children.

Early Adverse Childhood Experiences and Social Skills Among Youth in Fragile Families

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are associated with negative health and behavioral outcomes across the life course, yet little is known about the association between early ACEs and social skills among youth. As social skills are often shaped by home environments, and social skills developed in adolescence often persist into adulthood, understanding the processes that drive inequalities in developmental outcomes, such as social skills, is imperative. The present study used data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study (FFCW; n = 3245) and ordinary least squares regression analyses to explore the associations between early ACEs by age 5 (i.e., cumulative, timing, duration) and youth social skills (components include: emotional maturity, communication skills, intentionality, and social competence). The weighted sample consisted of urban-born youth (44% female) with a mean age of 15. Racial/ethnic breakdown of the sample is 37% non-Hispanic White, 25% non-Hispanic Black, 28% Hispanic, and 10% 'Other'. Overall, estimates suggest that nearly 79% of these youth experienced at least one ACE by age 5. Furthermore, the results indicated that as the number of early ACEs increased, deficits in social skills also increased. Moreover, the timing of exposure to early ACEs (i.e., high early, intermittent, chronic high) decreased social skills. The findings underscore the unique and robust links between early ACEs and youth social skills, underlining the importance of ACE exposure in social skill development.

Duration-Weighted Exposure to Neighborhood Disadvantage and Racial-Ethnic Differences in Adolescent Sexual Behavior

Racial-ethnic disparities in adolescent sexual risk behavior are associated with health disparities during adulthood and are therefore important to understand. Some scholars argue that neighborhood disadvantage induces disparities, yet prior research is mixed. We extend neighborhood-effects research by addressing long-term exposure to neighborhood disadvantage and estimation bias resulting from inclusion of time-varying covariates. Drawing from the Fragile Families and Child Well-Being Study, we compare a point-in-time proximal measure of neighborhood disadvantage with a duration-weighted measure using marginal structural models with inverse probability of treatment weights. Findings indicate that multiracial, non-Hispanic black, and Hispanic youth exhibit significantly higher sexual risk and duration-weighted exposure to neighborhood disadvantage than non-Hispanic white adolescents. Duration-weighted exposure is a better predictor of sexual initiation and number of partners by age 15 than a point-in-time proximal measure of neighborhood disadvantage and accounts for a substantial portion of the race-ethnic differences in sexual risk.

The mediating role of anxiety/depression symptoms between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and somatic symptoms in adolescents

INTRODUCTION

This study examines the relationships among recent adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), somatic symptoms, and anxiety/depression symptoms during adolescence and whether anxiety/depression symptoms mediate the relationship between ACEs and somatic symptoms.

METHODS

Longitudinal prospective data from the Longitudinal Studies of Child Abuse and Neglect study of 1354 children and their primary caregivers in the United States was used in this study. A longitudinal cross-lagged path analysis among recent ACEs, anxiety/depression symptoms, and somatic symptoms at three points during adolescence (ages 12, 14, and 16 years) was conducted.

RESULTS

The sample was 51% female and 53% African American. The results indicated significant concurrent associations between recent ACEs and increased anxiety/depression symptoms at ages 12, 14, and 16 (β = .27, p < .001; β = .15, p < .001; β = .07, p < .05) and between anxiety/depression symptoms and increased somatic symptoms at ages 12, 14, and 16 years (β = .44, p < .001; β = .39, p < .001; β = .49, p < .001). Moreover, anxiety/depression symptoms significantly mediated the relationship between recent ACEs and concurrent somatic symptoms at ages 12, 14, and 16 years (β = .12, p < .001; β = .06, p < .001; β = .04, p < .05). However, there was no significant relationship between recent ACEs and somatic symptoms.

CONCLUSION

The findings suggest that anxiety/depression symptoms mediate the concurrent relationships between recent ACEs and somatic symptoms at ages 12, 14, and 16. Clinicians should consider assessing anxiety/depression symptoms and possible concurrent exposure to ACEs when caring for adolescents who present with somatic symptoms.

Early adverse childhood experiences and exclusionary discipline in high school

The use of school suspension and expulsion is a widespread phenomenon in American schools (Wallace et al., 2009; Owens and McLanahan, 2020). Yet, much of what we know about these exclusionary practices provide little insight into the personal biographies of the students themselves-specifically their histories of childhood trauma. Using measures of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), we examine the link between early ACEs (up to age 5) and school suspension/expulsion using the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study (1998-2010) (FFCWS). We find that a child with a cumulative ACE score are almost four times more likely to have been suspended or expelled. Importantly, this negative link persists even when accounting for factors known to be associated with ACEs and school discipline. This work offers new theoretical insight into how we understand discipline in school contexts and suggests the importance of trauma-informed interventions in the American education system.

Adverse Childhood Experiences and Teen Behavior Outcomes: The Role of Disability

OBJECTIVE

To examine associations between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and teen behavior outcomes and whether the presence of disability moderates this relationship.

METHODS

We conducted a secondary analysis of population-based data from the Fragile Families & Child Wellbeing Study urban birth cohort. Disability status included physical/developmental/behavioral conditions (ages 1-5) using mother-reported child health conditions and cognitive disability (age 9), measured by the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test (PPVT), an assessment of receptive vocabulary. We investigated whether either disability type moderates the relationship between ACEs occurring between ages 5 to 9 and behavior outcomes at age 15, specifically, standardized scales of caregiver-reported externalizing and youth-reported internalizing and delinquent behaviors. Associations were examined using multivariate linear regression models, including interaction effects of ACEs with low PPVT score and disability conditions to assess for potential moderation.

RESULTS

Of the 3038 children included, 15% had a cognitive disability and 24% had a disabling health condition. The presence of 2 or more ACEs (compared to none) is associated with more externalizing (by 0.34 standard deviations [SD]), internalizing (0.18 SD), and delinquent (0.18 SD) behaviors. Cognitive disability exacerbates this association for externalizing behaviors and delinquent behaviors while other disabling health conditions do not.

CONCLUSIONS

ACEs were associated with more behavior problems among urban youth. Cognitive disability, but not other disabling health conditions, compounded this association for externalizing and delinquent behaviors, indicating these children may be particularly vulnerable to the effects of trauma and adversity. Targeted assessment and resources for youth with cognitive disability are critical.

Italian Children's Well-Being after Lockdown: Predictors of Psychopathological Symptoms in Times of COVID-19

The first Italian lockdown imposed to fight the spread of COVID-19 caused important disruptions in families’ everyday lives. The main aim of this research was to investigate the predictors of psychopathology in children aged 5–10 years, immediately after the national 2-month lockdown. A total of 158 Italian parents (148 mothers, 10 fathers, mean age = 41 years) were recruited and asked to complete an online research concerning their 158 children (76 boys, mean age = 7.4 years). Parents completed questionnaires on parent–child conflict, resilience, temperament, behavior, and previous adverse childhood experiences. Hierarchical regressions showed that children’s psychopathology was predicted by low child resilience, high novelty seeking and harm avoidance, adverse experiences, and high flooding levels. Moreover, girls exposed to adverse experiences appeared more vulnerable to psychopathology. The recruitment of a convenience sample, the small sample size, and the cross-sectional design of our study limit the generalizability and interpretation of the present findings. Nonetheless, this research extends our knowledge of children’s functioning in such an exceptional period. Shedding light on predictors of children’s psychopathology following prolonged quarantine can indeed guide effective psychological interventions now and in future similar situations.

Can centre-based childcare buffer against the negative effects of family adversity on child socio-emotional wellbeing?

Background

Different configurations of family adversity affect children’s socio-emotional development differently; however, we lack knowledge of moderators amenable to policy intervention. This study explored whether early childhood centre-based childcare moderated the impact of family adversity configurations on socio-emotional development.

Methods

Data were from the Growing Up in Scotland first birth cohort, born 2004–05. Latent class analysis of 19 early childhood family adversity indicators identified four classes: ‘Low Risk’ (68%), ‘Poor Maternal Health’ (16.5%), ‘Economic Hardship’ (10.0%) and ‘Multiple Adversities’ (5.5%). Latent growth models of externalizing and internalizing symptom trajectories (age 46–152 months, n = 3561) by family adversity controlled for confounding. Moderation by centre-based childcare use was examined through stratification.

Results

Compared to ‘Low Risk’, high-risk classes had more externalizing and internalizing symptoms and internalizing symptoms increased at a faster rate, with ‘Multiple Adversities’ faring worst. The effects of ‘Economic Hardship’ on change in externalizing symptoms over time varied by childcare (P = 0.035): relative to the Low Risk group, symptoms increased (+0.04 points/year) among those not using childcare, and decreased (–0.09 points/year) among those who did. The effect of ‘Multiple Adversities’ on internalizing symptoms also varied (P = 0.034): +0.12 without centre-based childcare; +0.33 with centre-based childcare (patterns were similar for externalizing symptoms but with wide confidence intervals). No moderation was found by ‘Poor Maternal Health’.

Conclusions

Centre-based childcare may alleviate disadvantages in socio-emotional wellbeing for children experiencing mainly economic hardship, but may exacerbate them for those experiencing multiple adversities. A better understanding of how early years’ services can support families with complex needs is required.

Deprivation and psychopathology in the Fragile Families Study: A 15-year longitudinal investigation

BACKGROUND

Early adversity consistently predicts youth psychopathology. However, the pathways linking unique dimensions of early adversity, such as deprivation, to psychopathology are understudied. Here, we evaluate a theoretical model linking early deprivation exposure with psychopathology prospectively through language ability.

METHODS

Participants included 2,301 youth (47.5% female) enrolled in the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study. We include data from assessment points at ages 1, 3, 5, 9, and 15. Latent factors for deprivation and threat were modeled from multiple indicators at ages 1 and 3. Youth language ability was assessed at Age 5. Indicators of psychopathology were assessed at ages 5, 9, and 15. A structural equation model tested longitudinal paths to internalizing and externalizing psychopathology from experiences of deprivation and threat.

RESULTS

Deprivation from birth to Age 3 was associated with an indirect effect on internalizing and externalizing symptoms in early childhood (Age 5), later childhood (Age 9), and adolescence (Age 15) via language ability in early childhood (Age 5). Early threat exposure was associated with increased internalizing and externalizing psychopathology across all ages. There was no significant indirect effect from threat to psychopathology via language ability.

CONCLUSIONS

The effects of deprivation on psychopathology during early childhood, late childhood, and adolescence are explained, in part, through early childhood language ability. Results provide insight into language ability as a possible opportunity for intervention.

Co-Occurring Youth Profiles of Adverse Childhood Experiences and Protective Factors: Associations with Health, Resilience, and Racial Disparities

It is important to understand racial/ethnic differences in adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), given their relationship to long-term physical and mental health, and the public health cost of the significant disparities that exist. Moreover, in order to inform interventions and promote resilience, it is critical to examine protective factors that mitigate the relationship between adversity and poor health. The current study utilized latent transition analyses (LTA) to examine co-occurring profiles of ACEs and protective factors (from school, family, and community contexts) and links to health outcomes among 30,668 Black (10.4%), Latinx (12.3%), and White youth (77.3%) ages 12-17 (52.5% male) who participated in the 2011-12 National Survey of Children's Health (NSCH). Results suggested that greater adversity was associated with worse health, while more access to protective factors was associated with better health. White youth had consistently lower endorsement of ACEs, greater access to protective factors, and better health compared to their Black and Latinx counterparts. Efforts to improve child health and racial/ethnic disparities in research and practice must consider adversity, protective factors, and the systemic inequities faced by racial/ethnic minority youth in the United States.

Childhood adversity, mental health, and oxidative stress: A pilot study

Childhood adversity is a potent risk factor for mental health conditions via disruptions to stress response systems. Dysregulations in oxidative stress systems have been associated with both childhood adversity and several psychological disorders (e.g., major depressive disorder) in adult populations. However, few studies have examined associations between childhood adversity, oxidative stress, and mental health in pediatric populations. Childhood adversity (Adverse Childhood Events [ACE]), oxidative stress [F2t-isoprostanes (IsoPs)], and mental health pathology were assessed in 50 adolescent females recruited primarily through the Department of Youth Services. Standard ordinary least squares regression models were run co-varying for age, race/ethnicity, adolescent nicotine use, study condition, and parent history of ACEs. Adolescents who reported experiencing four or more ACEs had significantly elevated IsoP levels. Further, internalizing symptom scores across diagnoses were significantly associated with elevated IsoPs, whereas no externalizing symptoms scores, except Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, were related to altered oxidative stress. Results indicate that IsoPs may be a global marker of childhood adversity and mental health symptomatology, particularly within internalizing symptom domains. A limitation is that body mass index was not collected for this sample. Future studies are needed to replicate and extend these findings in larger, more diverse samples.